The present invention relates to rain protection garments, such as hoods and ponchos, and more particularly to disposable rain hoods for display on display racks.
Rain protection garments, such as rain coats, rain hoods, ponchos, and the like, are used to keep individuals dry during rain showers. Such garments are typically designed for repeated use, and are therefore made of durable, rain impermeable materials such as canvas, oilcloth, nylon and the like. Disposable rain hoods and ponchos are also available. Disposable rain hoods are typically made of plastic sheets. Disposable rain hoods find particular uses at outdoor events, such as festivals and sporting events, where a sudden, unexpected shower may catch individuals without umbrellas or rain protection garments. In such circumstances, disposable rain hoods can be sold at low cost or donated to individuals attending the event, and can then discarded when no longer needed.
The inventor has developed an apparatus and method for supplying disposable receptacles for umbrellas. The disposable receptacles consist of an elongated plastic bag that is designed to fit over a collapsed umbrella. The disposable receptacles keep wet umbrellas from dripping water, and thus prevent slips, soiling of floors and carpets, and other consequences of tracking rain water into a public building. A stand is provided for displaying and dispensing the disposable receptacles. The stand consists generally of a base, a pole extending substantially vertically upward from the base, and a bracket member for holding a plurality of disposable receptacles for umbrellas. Such display stands and disposable receptacles have been successful on the market, and are used particularly in public buildings that have heavy foot traffic. However, the disposable receptacles are useful only for individuals who happen to have umbrellas with them. There is thus a need for a disposable rain hood that can be conveniently displayed on such stands, and thus can be dispensed as needed during rain showers.
It is an object of the invention to provide disposable rain hoods configured for convenient display on display stands, such as in compact stacks of hoods.
It is another object of the invention to provide a disposable rain hood that is inexpensive to manufacture, and therefore can be distributed free of charge or at low cost to the general public.
It is another object of the invention to provide a means of displaying the disposable rain hoods from display stands for distribution as needed during rain showers.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a disposable rain hood that fits comfortably on a user and can be readily secured to the user.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention shall become apparent from the following general and preferred description of the invention.
Accordingly, a disposable rain hood for displaying from a display stand is provided comprising a pair of opposing flaps, the flaps attached to one another substantially along respective upper edges thereof, the flaps further attached to one another substantially along respective rear edges thereof, the upper and rear edge attachments providing a rain-impermeable barrier along the upper and the rear edges of the disposable rain hood, and the disposable rain hood having a substantially open front edge and a substantially open lower edge for receiving a head and torso of a user of the disposable rain hood. The pair of flaps are preferably formed from a single lengthwise sheet of plastic, the sheet being folded substantially along a width-wise or lengthwise centerline thereof to thereby form the pair of lengthwise opposing flaps; in this configuration, the fold forms either the upper or rear edge of the disposable rain hood, and an adjacent side is sealed by heat sealing to form the other sealed edge.
A head stop is preferably provided for properly positioning the head of a user in the disposable rain hood. The head stop further attaches the respective opposing flaps to one another. The head stop extends downward substantially from the sealed upper edge of the disposable hood and extends substantially parallel to an upper portion of the sealed rear edge. The head stop is also preferably positioned a sufficient distance from the open front edge of the disposable rain hood to thereby permit the head stop to function as a rear barrier for a back portion of the head of the user while the hood simultaneously shields the head of the user from rain. The head stop is preferably formed by heat sealing the flaps to one another along the desired position of the head stop.
Each of the opposing flaps of the disposable rain hood are preferably provided with at least one hole. The hole is preferably positioned substantially along the forward edge, so as to permit the forward edges of the disposable rain hood to be selectively held together either by fingers of the user or by a tie passing through the holes to thereby secure the hood on the user.
In order to display the disposable rain hood on a display stand, the hood can be provided with a pair of holes adjacent and passing through the lower end of the disposable rain hood, the holes providing a means for displaying the disposable rain hood from the display stand. In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of the disposable hoods are stacked together. Each of the hoods is provided with a suspension portion extending from the lower edges of the flaps. The suspension portion is detachably connected to the lower edge of the flaps by a frangible perforation. The stack of disposable hoods is fixedly attached to a display holder via the suspension portions such that a selected disposable rain hood may be selectively detached from the suspension portion by pulling the disposable hood relative to the holder to thereby break the frangible perforation. The display holder has a means thereon for suspending the display holder from the display stand, such as a pair of holes. The display holder is preferably a piece of cardboard, the piece of cardboard being folded over a plurality of the suspension portions, and opposing flaps of the display holder being attached to one another by a plurality of staples passing through the plurality of suspension portions.
Methods of constructing and displaying the foregoing disposable rain hoods and stacks of disposable rain hoods are also provided.